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  • Johan Rojas’ potential PED suspension leaves Phillies no choice but to act (again)

    Johan Rojas’ potential PED suspension leaves Phillies no choice but to act (again)

    The news that is coming down the pipe wouldn’t be a huge deal for some teams.

    The Phillies are not one of those teams.

    Johan Rojas might be a third-string center fielder who forces you to play with an eight-man batting order, but he is a man without an obvious replacement right now. The Phillies are going to need to figure one out soon, assuming the formality of the 25-year-old’s pending appeal of an 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension that an Inquirer source says he faces.

    Source: Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas faces 80-game suspension for failed drug test

    Bryan De La Cruz? The 29-year-old nonroster invitee offers enough of a profile at the plate to suspend disbelief. But he hasn’t played center field in the big leagues since 2023, and even then, he did it in only seven games.

    Dylan Moore? He played a couple of innings in center field last season but has only 105 in a seven-year big league career as a utility man. The 33-year-old nonroster invitee would make some sense as the third option in any given game. But it’s a stretch to think he’d make sense as a long-term sub.

    Or, there is Pedro León, a 27-year-old who went 2-for-20 with 10 strikeouts in 2024 for the Astros. Houston waived him in November.

    There aren’t any other options on the spring training roster, unless you count Edmundo Sosa in an emergency.

    There is a reason the Phillies traded for Harrison Bader last July. It’s the same reason they were open to re-signing him early in an offseason that ended with him settling for a two-year, $20.5 million contract with the Giants. The Phillies are thin on center fielders and right-handed hitters, and even thinner on guys with both skill sets.

    It’s a shame the Bader situation played out as it did. The Phillies’ offseason would look a lot different if they’d been able to sign him to something like a two-year, $25 million extension before he exercised his end of a mutual opt-out. There would have been more than enough at-bats to go around between righties Bader and Adolis García and lefties Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford, as well as a better combination of depth and platoon ability. And if Bader came at the price of García going elsewhere, no worries. You can get a right-handed-hitting corner outfielder easier than you can a right-handed-hitting center fielder, and a lot of them cost less than García’s $10 million for the same amount of cross-your-fingers-and-pray.

    Kyle Schwarber is too good to bat cleanup. That, and other conclusions from last year’s lineups.

    Alas, here we are. It would betray a misunderstanding of the inner workings of the business of baseball to interpret Bader’s contract with the Giants as an unwillingness to match by the Phillies. They moved on and he moved on, and nobody would be thinking twice if the Mets didn’t offer an outlandish contract to Bo Bichette. None of that matters now.

    The Phillies don’t have a choice but to scour the earth for someone who at least looks like a center fielder when you squint. Marsh has never played in more than 135 games in a big league season, which is 135 more than Crawford has ever played. That’s not a comfortable situation. The only unsigned free agent of note is Manuel Margot, who would leave everyone pining for Rojas.

    Keep in mind, Rojas appeared in 71 games last season. At the start of that season, the organization’s depth chart looked pretty much as it does now. If you’d forgotten Rojas got that much playing time, it’s because he didn’t offer a lot to remember him by.

    Johan Rojas’ .569 OPS last season ranked among the bottom 10% of MLB hitters with at least 170 plate appearances.

    His .569 OPS ranked among the bottom 10% of MLB hitters with at least 170 plate appearances. He is one of only three center fielders out of 46 total to have an OPS lower than .600 while garnering at least 500 plate appearances over the last two seasons. His average exit velocity ranks second to last.

    That would lead to an obvious question, if we hadn’t already covered the answer. Why did Rojas get so many at-bats? Because the Phillies didn’t have any better options. Sure, some wishful thinking factored in, as did an overemphasis on center-field defense. The math is a little more complicated than subtracting the surplus doubles a better defender robs from the surplus doubles a better hitter would have given you at the plate. But the fundamental logic holds, and Rojas failed it. Reality is, the Phillies were a better team last season with Rojas on the bench and Marsh in center field, even against lefties.

    You can argue that they are no worse off for losing Rojas. It might be true, to a certain extent. Moore and De La Cruz could be as good as it gets unless someone shakes loose on cutdown day (local product Chas McCormick is in camp with the Cubs on a minor league contract). If finding a center fielder was easy, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

  • High-tech snowplows and AI help cities clean up from big storms

    High-tech snowplows and AI help cities clean up from big storms

    Residents of Syracuse, N.Y. — America’s snowiest city — once barraged a service hotline with street neglect complaints during blizzards, even if plows had passed two hours earlier but the work was hidden by fresh snow.

    Now public trust seems to be rising as Syracuse and other cities across the U.S. integrate upgrades such as video monitoring, GPS mapping and artificial intelligence into snow operations that once relied almost entirely on manual planning.

    Syracuse was one of the first to revamp the way it deploys its snowplows, and complaint calls have dropped by 30% under the new system, said Conor Muldoon, the city’s chief innovation officer.

    “People will look out their window and say, ‘Hey, you guys are doing a terrible job,’” Muldoon said. “And we can point to a public map and say, ‘Here’s all the breadcrumbs for when that plow was there.’”

    Snowier than usual in the U.S. snow capital

    Each winter, Syracuse averages 126 inches (3.2 meters) of snow, more than any other U.S. city of at least 100,000 people. Even before the blizzard that pounded the Northeast last week, the city had already surpassed its typical average due to a record 2-foot (60-centimeter) accumulation on one day in late December.

    With a goal of clearing every street within 24 hours after a storm, Syracuse partnered in 2021 with San Francisco-based Samsara to put live GPS tracking and dashcams on city fleet vehicles including snowplows. Integrated with GIS mapping software, the system allows officials to monitor live video and plow locations in real time.

    While residents can’t access live feeds, they can view a public map that updates every 5 minutes to show which roads have been cleared.

    Samsara started incorporating AI into its products in 2019. This winter, for the first time, it has provided customers with footage from other cameras within its large network, helping officials better understand conditions on a street even when no worker is there.

    Kiren Sekar, the company’s chief product officer, cited an example of needing to dispatch the closest plow for a snow emergency in Plainwell, Michigan.

    “Rather than having to sift through a list of vehicles, it can actually figure this out: ‘We’ve got Trevor in vehicle 203, 15 minutes away,’” Sekar said.

    New York City’s approach

    Samsara partners with communities of various sizes to upgrade their snowplow systems, but the nation’s largest city — New York City — developed its own.

    Its tracking program known as BladeRunner monitors snow removal equipment (including garbage trucks with plows attached) while a human in a command center — not AI — analyzes the GPS data. The city is exploring AI in the future to process the thousands of 311 calls and online service requests it can get in a single day.

    The other way the big city’s approach differs from its upstate neighbor of Syracuse is that each plow runs a specific route during storms, ensuring main and side streets get essentially the same treatment.

    “So what it does is allow equity,” said Joshua Goodman, deputy commissioner at the city’s Department of Sanitation.

    Typically 99% of the city’s roads will be plowed within the first four hours after a moderate snowfall under ideal conditions, but Goodman said it didn’t quite meet that mark during last week’s historic storm.

    Cutting costs and insurance claims

    With U.S. cities and states spending upward of $4 billion each year on snow operations, the new technology also helps assure roads aren’t overplowed or oversalted, which can cause environmental damage.

    Fayetteville, Ark., launched a public-facing snow removal map for the first time this winter. It reported improvements in plowing time, labor costs and fuel savings, despite enduring about double the snow from a year ago.

    “This is the first year some roads have ever been treated or plowed, and that goes right back to being able to see where we need to go and if we’ve been there,” said Ross Jackson Jr., the city’s fleet operations manager.

    The township of Edison, N.J., reduced its spending on salt and brine by 35% and its insurance payouts by 60%, thanks to video that helped prove plow drivers usually weren’t at fault when the vehicles collided with another motorist’s car.

    Video installed on snowplows in Iowa helped demonstrate that all but one of 12 snowplow accidents in a single day were the other driver’s fault, said Craig Bargfrede, the state’s winter operations administrator.

    “How can you not see this big orange truck with flashing lights ahead of you?” he said. “Boom, they just drive right into us.”

    Kalamazoo County was the first county in Michigan to employ turn-by-turn navigation to dispatch snowplows during a storm. Rusty McClain, assistant general superintendent of its road commission, called it a huge improvement in efficiency.

    “The old-school way of doing it, that bird’s-eye view of where everyone needs to go to plow, was just in a large book with paper maps,” McClain said. “You’d have to pull over, find the page you’re looking for, call somebody on the phone and ask if they have plowed that area.”

  • The Flyers helped renovate the home of a Northeast Philly teen battling leukemia. He’s ‘gobsmacked.’

    The Flyers helped renovate the home of a Northeast Philly teen battling leukemia. He’s ‘gobsmacked.’

    One word would describe 19-year-old Ethan Ruiz’s reaction to his newly renovated home: “Gobsmacked.”

    “I don’t know how you turn what was here before into such a large space,” Ruiz said. “I guess it involved knocking down walls, but seeing it in its full extent — completely open. I love the open-air design of everything.”

    Ruiz was the 10th recipient of the Building Hope for Kids grant, an initiative in which Flyers Charities and Michael’s Way partner to renovate homes for children battling cancer.

    Flyers Charities and Michael’s Way to team up to renovate the home of a local teen with cancer

    The initiative led to Ruiz’s home in Northeast Philadelphia being renovated to create a more comfortable, accessible, and uplifting space as he continues treatment for his leukemia diagnosis.

    “Every year we work with St. Christopher’s Hospital,” said Blair Listino, chair of Flyers Charities and an alternate governor of the Flyers who is the chief financial and administrative officer for Comcast Spectacor. “We work with social workers there who select a family that they think it would make a very big impact on in their lives to have a new home.

    “This is the 10th house we’ve done and we’ve worked with a lot of organizations day in and day out. There’s different organizations here who’ve helped with the house. IKEA donated all the furniture. Sprouts [Farmers Market] stocked the kitchen. And we have Rheem who did the HVAC system for us.”

    The basement at newly renovated home for 19-year old Ethan Ruiz and his mom features a home gym.

    In 2025, Flyers Charities increased its financial contribution to the initiative to $100,000 due to the increased cost of building materials and the success of previous home renovations.

    Flyers Charities financially supports Michael’s Way, a local nonprofit whose mission is to improve the lives of children with pediatric cancer, for the project while the wives and girlfriends of Flyers players act as interior designers for the house.

    Ethan and his mother, Yomayra Carrer, were surprised with the news in October. Construction began in January with Flyers Charities and wives and girlfriends working alongside Fastrack Construction and IKEA to complete a full-scale renovation.

    Brandon Graham, Jaelan Phillips among athletes working with organization to prepare for post-playing career

    The renovation includes a new HVAC system, a new roof for long-term structural security, engineered hardwood flooring to reduce dust and allergens, new cabinetry, a home gym, walk-in closet, and new tile.

    When asked what his favorite part of the renovation was, Ruiz said: “My room.”

    Ruiz’s room was decorated with forest green walls, featured a gaming setup in the corner, and personalized with some of his favorite items — including a “Ghost of Yotei” poster, and album artwork from Tyler, the Creator’s “Chromakopia.”

    One of the masterminds behind Ruiz’s room was Alex Sanheim, Travis Sanheim’s wife.

    Ethan Ruiz’s newly renovated bedroom was decorated with forest green walls, featured a gaming setup in the corner, and personalized with some of his favorite items — including a “Ghost of Yotei” poster, and Tyler, the Creator’s “Chromakopia” album artwork.

    “It’s tough to design something for someone else and still hope it’s exactly what they envisioned,” Alex Sanheim said. “And by his reaction, I think we nailed it. It was to be green and moody and have a gaming [setup]. I think the space works for him to enjoy gaming between school. Everything now, it’s just completely different.

    “It truly wouldn’t be possible without every single person. I just truly don’t think that we give enough credit to everyone because it takes a village for sure.”

    After getting to know the family, the Flyers’ wives and girlfriends took both Ruiz and Carrer’s interests in consideration to make their vision come to life. For instance, plants were something Carrer loved to have in her home. Going into the renovation, she was a little worried she would have no place for them.

    The Eagles Autism Foundation raised more than $10 million last year. It’s needed ‘now more than ever,’ Jeffrey Lurie says.

    “From my exact sitting position [in the living room], I can count like six of them,” Ruiz said.

    Little did Ruiz know, he missed an entire cabinet of four additional plants to his right. Although the plants were a must have, for Carrer, the kitchen was the main star of the house — but it may take some time getting used to.

    “I don’t know if I’m just like of a different tax bracket, so I don’t know this, but like, I didn’t even know that ovens could come in — dude, there’s two. And it’s split into one big one,” Ruiz said.

    Carrer added: “We’re going to figure it out.”

    Flyers Travis Sanheim (left) and Owen Tippett attended the unveiling of Ethan Ruiz and Yomayra Carrer’s renovated home on Tuesday.

    When asked what would be the first thing they make in their new kitchen, they responded: “Empanadas.”

    Despite the rainy conditions Tuesday, Gritty and Flyers players Jamie Drysdale, Bobby Brink, Owen Tippett, and Sean Couturier were there to witness the big reveal.

    “Oh, they did a great job,” Couturier said. “I would probably let them redo our house altogether. They did an amazing job. Everything kind of fit together and I’m sure they’re happy with the end result.”

    For the Ruiz family, the renovation was a dream come true.

    “The way that I saw all the wives show up, the contractors, I know how stressful it was,” Carrer said. “But they were like, ‘No, this is something we want to do. We do it with joy in our hearts.’ So, to me it’s like they will forever be in my prayers. The contractors, the wives, the Flyers, Michael’s Way. It’s been a long journey, but it’s a beautiful one.”

  • Owen Tippett’s fashion sense has put the NHL and fans on notice. The Flyers also might need him to fill a Travis Konency-sized void.

    Owen Tippett’s fashion sense has put the NHL and fans on notice. The Flyers also might need him to fill a Travis Konency-sized void.

    Owen Tippett isn’t on Twitter these days. He has dropped some social media platforms that he didn’t feel were necessary or healthy for his mental space.

    But he had heard through the grapevine about the artwork; he just hadn’t seen it yet.

    “That’s unreal,” he said, almost in shock when shown the drawing of himself from the weekend. “Unreal,” he said, covering his agape mouth with his hand, still in shock. “Wow. That’s sick.”

    On Saturday, the Flyers’ social media accounts had a picture of Tippett in his game-day fit, sporting a Kith sweater, baggy black jeans, and sunglasses. Local sports artist Dhwani Saraiya, who designed the Flyers’ opening night T-shirt, tweeted, “fit was so fire I had to draw it.” And the Edison, N.J., native did.

    Tippett, who has popped up in Annie O’Donnell’s rapid-fire NHL fit reviews on Instagram for his style, followed that up with a Canadian tuxedo, fittingly in Toronto, on Monday. The two-piece set, also from Kith, was ordered just a few days earlier and arrived on his doorstep on Saturday before making the round on social media, notably on the NHL’s platforms.

    (Editor’s note: The Canadian tuxedo ended up in O’Donnell’s latest fit review that dropped right after this story was published, stating: “This is the coolest Canadian tuxedo I have ever seen in my life.”)

    This is the first year the players are not required to wear suits or business attire.

    “I think when we found out we weren’t going to have a dress code, I think my wife had a little bit more fun with it than I did,” Ontario native Tippett said of his wife, Taylor. “Kind of got me out of my comfort zone a little bit, which is fine, from what I’m used to wearing, but yeah, I’ve had fun with it.”

    The Flyers have been heating up since the Olympics. These are the numbers behind their latest win in Toronto.

    Now, this isn’t a fashion story, but it’s about the old-fashioned mantra: “If you look good, you feel good.”

    It’s about goalie Dan Vladař noting that the Flyers had swagger in the room on Saturday.

    It’s about the Flyers feeling good on the ice, having won three straight for the first time since around Thanksgiving, and back in the playoff picture.

    And it’s about the forwards, notably Tippett, who was promoted to the top line on Monday, needing to step up with Travis Konecny’s status up in the air. Konecny, who leads the team in goals (23), assists (34), and points (57), missed his second game of the season on Monday with an upper-body injury.

    “Yeah, he’s a huge part of our team, both on the ice and in the locker room,” Tippett said. “Obviously, it’s a big, big role to fill. But I think I’ve said it a couple of times this year with [Tyson Foerster] going down and [Rodrigo Ābols] going down, and there’s been a few guys in here who have kind of missed games or missed some time.

    “We all have to step up collectively.”

    Coach Rick Tocchet said on Tuesday that he is hopeful Konecny can play Thursday when the Utah Mammoth visit Xfinity Mobile Arena (7 p.m., NBCSP). But if not, his absence will test the team’s depth. The expectation is that Tippett will remain on the top line with Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, in the Flyers’ 3-2 shootout win against the Maple Leafs, when the trio was on the ice at five-on-five, the Flyers had 10 shot attempts, five shots on goal, two scoring chances, and 57.15% of the expected goal share.

    Owen Tippett has discussed the need to complement Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46).

    “Obviously, it’s different with everyone you play with,” Tippett said of his game style. “I think the biggest thing [Monday] night was, obviously, making the simple plays and not trying to overcomplicate things. I know they play an offensive line, and when Trevor has the puck, he can create a lot, so it’s more just kind of give him space, but also support him at the same time.”

    Tippett, Dvorak, and Zegras also played together at the beginning of the season, beginning in Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Tippett has spent the second-most time with Zegras and Dvorak this season, trailing only Konecny.

    Among the Flyers’ seven line combinations that have played at least 100 minutes together, Money Puck has the line ranked No. 2 in minutes (196.5), expected goals for (8.8), and expected goals against (8.7). Although shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, and high-danger chances are almost even with what they give up — but above 50% — according to Natural Stat Trick, when they are on the ice at five-on-five, the Flyers have outscored the opposition 13-8. That’s the number that counts.

    “Played with them a little bit at the start of the year,” Tippett said, “but it’s been a decent stretch since I’ve played with them. So, a little bit of chemistry was already there, but just trying to keep things simple and communicate as much as we can on the bench and on the ice.”

    Tippett is sitting on 19 goals for the season, one shy of reaching the 20-goal mark for the fourth straight year.

    “Yeah, I did,” Tocchet said when asked if he liked Tippett with that pair. “He had some speed. I thought there were some moments there [that if he had] one inch or two inches, he would have been gone. So he had a game where I thought he could add to that line.”

    Breakaways

    Defenseman Nick Seeler did not participate in practice on Tuesday after leaving Monday’s game late in the second period with a lower-body injury. Seen limping after the game, Tocchet said he is also a game-time decision. … Dvorak and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen also did not skate, but Tocchet said they had maintenance days. Ristolainen’s name has been prominent in trade chatter, but there is currently nothing imminent, The Inquirer has learned. Offers should start picking up soon with the trade deadline on Friday at 3 p.m.

    Rasmus Ristolainen is again the subject of trade rumors. But this year could be different.
  • Israel steps up airstrikes in Tehran, as Iran widens its response across the region

    Israel steps up airstrikes in Tehran, as Iran widens its response across the region

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel said it launched airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers and a nuclear research site Tuesday, and Iran struck back against Israel and across the Gulf region, targeting U.S. embassies and disrupting energy supplies and travel.

    Four days into a war that President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks or perhaps longer, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran, including some Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country.

    Explosions rang out Tuesday in Tehran and in Lebanon, where Israel said it retaliated against Hezbollah militants. The American embassy in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. consulate in the United Arab Emirates came under drone attacks. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, though most of the incoming fire has been intercepted. Eleven people in Israel have been killed since the conflict began.

    In other developments, the Pentagon identified four U.S. Army Reserve soldiers who were killed in a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait. The strike also killed two other service members.

    The spiraling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end.

    The administration has offered various objectives, including destroying Iran’s missile capabilities, wiping out its navy, preventing it from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and ensuring it cannot continue to support allied armed groups.

    While the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government, senior administration officials have since said regime change was not the goal.

    Trump on Tuesday seemed to downplay chances of the war ending Iran’s theocratic rule, saying that “someone from within” the Iranian regime might be the best choice to take power once the U.S.-Israel campaign is finished.

    Trump says people the U.S. had in mind to lead Iran are dead

    Speaking Tuesday from the Oval Office, Trump said Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s toppled shah, is not someone that his administration has considered in depth to take over.

    As far as possible leaders inside Iran, “the people we had in mind are dead,” Trump said.

    “I guess the worst case would be do this, and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen,” Trump said. ”We don’t want that to happen.”

    Iran’s leaders are scrambling to replace Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years. It’s only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen. Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement.

    Israel and U.S. strike nuclear facilities and other targets in Iran

    Information coming out of Iran has been limited because of poor communications, round-the-clock airstrikes, and tight restrictions on journalists. But across Iran’s capital, aircraft were heard overhead, and explosions rang out.

    The Israeli military said it conducted a wave of airstrikes on sites that produce and store ballistic missiles, in Tehran and Isfahan. It also said it destroyed what it called Iran’s secret, underground nuclear headquarters. Without providing evidence, it said the site was used for scientific research “to develop a key component for nuclear weapons.”

    “The regime attempted to rebuild its efforts and conceal them, thinking we wouldn’t notice. They were mistaken,” said Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin.

    There was no immediate public comment from the U.S. or Iran about the site Israel named.

    Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to do so and says its nuclear program is peaceful.

    The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment site had sustained “some recent damage,” though there was “no radiological consequence expected.” The U.S. hit Natanz during the 12-day war in June, when Israeli and American strikes greatly weakened Iran’s nuclear program.

    Fears rise in Tehran as bombardment of capital intensifies

    New rounds of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes rattled Iran.

    “Since midnight, I and my wife are hearing sound of explosions,” said Ali Amoli, an engineer living in north Tehran.

    Satellite images published Tuesday by Colorado-based company Vantor showed the domed roof of Iran’s presidential complex in Tehran had been destroyed, supporting Israel’s claim of an overnight strike. Iran did not acknowledge the damage or report any casualties.

    A north Tehran resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation described growing fears in the capital as it comes under heavy bombardment. The resident said most stores in the normally bustling area of Tajrish were closed, though bakeries and supermarkets remained open.

    Iran hits the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and Washington pulls out staff

    An attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a “limited fire,” according to the Saudi Arabian Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound.

    An Iranian drone struck a parking lot outside the U.S. consulate in Dubai, sparking a small fire, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Washington. He said all personnel were accounted for.

    The United Arab Emirates said it has intercepted the vast majority of more than 1,000 Iranian missile and drone attacks against it.

    U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Lebanon said they were closed to the public.

    The U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. also urged its citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, though with much of the airspace closed, many were stranded.

    The State Department said Tuesday it’s preparing military and charter flights for Americans who want to leave the Middle East. Several other countries also arranged evacuation flights for their citizens.

    The U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people in Iran, according to the Red Crescent Society. In Lebanon, where Israel launched retaliatory strikes on the Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah, 50 people were killed, including seven children, Lebanon’s health ministry said.

    The U.S. military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. In addition, three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain.

    The four dead American soldiers who were identified Tuesday were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa. Killed were Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb.; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; and Spc. Declan J. Coady, age 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa.

    Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday criticized Iran’s attacks against Gulf neighbors that had worked to prevent war as an “incredibly flawed strategy” that threatened to widen the war if those states decide to retaliate.

  • Source: Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas faces 80-game suspension for failed drug test

    Source: Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas faces 80-game suspension for failed drug test

    Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and is facing an 80-game suspension by Major League Baseball, a league source confirmed Tuesday.

    Rojas will appeal the test result, the source said.

    Phillies officials said Tuesday that MLB hasn’t contacted the team about Rojas’ status, although manager Rob Thomson said he was aware of reporter Wilber Sánchez’s post over the weekend that Rojas had failed a drug test.

    Johan Rojas’ potential PED suspension leaves Phillies no choice but to act (again)

    Rojas was at the Phillies’ spring training complex on Tuesday but did not speak with the media. Officials from MLB, the MLB Players’ Association, and Rojas’ agent, Rafa Nieves, declined to comment.

    Rojas was scheduled to play for the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic but didn’t join the team in Miami over the weekend. D.R. general manager Nelson Cruz announced Monday that Rojas withdrew from the tournament for “personal reasons,” adding that the outfielder could explain himself at a later time.

    The Phillies’ outfield depth would be diminished by a suspension to Rojas. Brandon Marsh, rookie Justin Crawford, and Adolis García are locked into outfield spots along with Otto Kemp, who hasn’t been a full-time outfielder.

    Rojas was vying with veteran utility man Dylan Moore and fellow outfielders Pedro León and Bryan De La Cruz for the final spot on the bench. Rojas and León are on the 40-man roster. Moore and De La Cruz are nonroster invitees to camp, although Moore is due a $100,000 retention bonus to go to the minors if the Phillies don’t add him to the 26-man roster five days before opening day.

    Rojas, 25, is regarded as an elite defender in center field but hasn’t produced much at the plate since an impressive 59-game debut as a rookie in 2023. He batted .224 with a .569 OPS in 172 plate appearances last season and got optioned to triple A midway through the year.

    Among 316 players with at least 500 plate appearances since the beginning of the 2024 season, Rojas ranks 308th with a .591 OPS.

    It’s unclear whether Rojas will continue to play in Grapefruit League games during his appeal.

  • Kelly Oubre Jr. will miss Sixers’ game vs. Spurs with an illness

    Kelly Oubre Jr. will miss Sixers’ game vs. Spurs with an illness

    Kelly Oubre Jr. will miss the 76ers’ home game Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs with an illness, per the NBA’s injury report.

    Oubre, a starting wing, has been enjoying one of the best seasons of his 11-year NBA career. He is averaging 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 38 games, while often taking a challenging perimeter defensive assignment. He has increased his three-point shooting to 37.2%.

    Ex-Sixers coach Doug Collins returns to Philly for NBC throwback game, but a few voices are missing

    Without Oubre, combo guard Quentin Grimes will slide into the starting lineup. Second-year wing Justin Edwards will “for sure” reenter the rotation, coach Nick Nurse said during his pregame news conference.

    The Sixers also will play against the 43-17 Spurs without Joel Embiid (oblique) and Paul George (suspension).

  • Philly brings the noise to mark the 100-day countdown before kickoff of the FIFA World Cup

    Philly brings the noise to mark the 100-day countdown before kickoff of the FIFA World Cup

    The World Cup is just 100 days away.

    On Tuesday, Philadelphia Soccer 2026, in conjunction with the city, officially launched the “How do you Phan?” campaign at the Comcast Technology Center Concourse to commemorate the milestone.

    The event, emceed by Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham, featured performances by the Universal African Dance and Drum group — along with appearances by Philadelphia mascots Swoop, Gritty, and Phang.

    “Let’s get an E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles real quick,” Graham said to open the event. “We’ve got a hundred days till the World Cup comes to our city. I hope y’all are all ready. Today, we got to get hype, this is a big event.”

    International drummers and dancers perform during a rally celebrating 100 days until the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday at the Comcast Center.

    Ready to be a fan?

    Hundreds of fans stood in line to receive free merchandise — including shirts, hats, flags, and commemorative miniature posters — before remarks from Michelle Singer, co-chair of Philadelphia Soccer 2026 and Meg Kane, the chief executive for the Philadelphia Soccer 2026 host committee.

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    “This is exactly the kind of energy the world will experience when they come [to] Philadelphia this summer,” Singer said to an excited crowd. “As co-chair of Philadelphia Soccer 2026, I have the great privilege of working alongside an amazing team across the city and throughout Pennsylvania to prepare for one of the largest global events in the world.

    “We know six matches will be hosted at the Linc will have a tremendous impact on our city. But what makes the World Cup even more powerful is the opportunity to showcase who we are as a city.”

    After Philadelphia Soccer 2026 live premiered their “How Do You Phan” campaign video, Kane highlighted the eight known teams set to compete in Philadelphia — Brazil, France, Croatia, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Haiti, and Curaçao — and encouraged fans to embrace each country’s culture, food, and even football chants.

    Kane, who helped plan Philadelphia’s Papal visit in 2015, directed the crowd to Philadelphia Soccer 2026’s website for recently released “tool kits” that teach Philadelphians how to be fans of the incoming teams.

    “We need to get ready in Philly,” Kane said. “We need to have a rooting interest. We love when we are watching a sporting event, and we want a winner. Like we’re rooting for someone. A great story, a great player, a great team. We have done it for all of our teams.

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    The Flyers, the Sixers, the Union, the Eagles, the Phillies — we’ve done it all. We brought the bedlam to the bank. We have shown everything about our sports passion and our fandom and that’s why today, it’s about bringing our energy to the global stage.”

    Eagles defensive Brandon Graham (left) stands alongside Meg Kane, host city executive and CEO of Philadelphia Soccer 2026, in Tuesday’s pep rally celebrating 100 days until the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    Man of the people

    If you are unfamiliar with soccer, the sport, don’t worry — so is Graham.

    After the event, Graham stuck around briefly to take photos and talk with fans, mentioning his partial favoritism for the Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) national team, but also admitting his unfamiliarity with the sport.

    “No,” he said when questioned on if he grew up a fan of soccer. “Just played FIFA on the game, that’s as close as I got.”

    Despite his unfamiliarity, Graham is still excited to learn what is in store for this summer.

    “I came to the [Premier League matches] when it was at the Linc,” Graham said. “That was cool, and now, I can’t wait to see what it’s all about.”

    Next steps

    There is still plenty to do before the first kickoff of World Cup matches in Philly, when Ivory Coast opens what will be the first of five group stage games against Ecuador on June 14 (7 p.m., FS1).

    Philadelphia Soccer 2026 and the city of Philadelphia are still ironing out safety and transportation plans, according to Kane, while simultaneously working with FIFA to get Lincoln Financial Field up to shape ahead of the games,

    On top of it all, Philadelphia Soccer 2026 is looking to announce updates regarding their free Fan Festival, set to be hosted at Lemon Hill in Philadelphia’s Brewerytown neighborhood, in the coming weeks.

    A rendering of what Philadelphia’s World Cup fan fest site at Lemon Hill Park is expected to look like.

    “The Lemon Hill and FIFA fan festival is a key component of our planning,” Kane said. “So really focused on that and getting ready to hopefully make some announcements about what people can expect at Lemon Hill in the coming weeks. It’s going to be an incredible event. It’s going to be one of those spectacular, unexpected moments of the tournament for people who live here and for visitors alike.”

    According to Kane, the city plans to invest $5.2 million into the park ahead of the World Cup, which will be partially spent on ADA accessible ramps, better lighting, paved walkways, and an improved playground noted as “quality of life improvements.”

    “I think that one of the things that has been so incredibly heartening and productive around the planning is that the city really leaned in with Philadelphia soccer 2026 around community engagement and hearing from the community about their concerns,” Kane said. “But also, their hopes for the park. It is a beautiful park, and one that has not necessarily been invested in over the last 40 years. So for us, it’s exciting that we’re able to put some preliminary infrastructure in that is going to allow us to host this festival there.”

  • Inside Philly’s high-stakes charm campaign to lure the 2028 Democratic National Convention

    Inside Philly’s high-stakes charm campaign to lure the 2028 Democratic National Convention

    It was at the end of last year in the hazy stretch between Christmas and New Year’s when time doesn’t feel real, and some of Philly’s top Democrats were huddled around a secret proposal, racing to meet a deadline.

    The group — convened by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, her aides, and some key Philadelphia boosters — was preparing a lengthy bid to bring the Democratic National Convention back to the city in either 2028 or 2032, a potential economic boon and a chance to show off in front of lawmakers, celebrities, and international media.

    Philadelphia is on the short list to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention

    The confidential proposal to the Democratic National Committee included everything from the city’s hotel space to police outfitting to nitty-gritty details about the electrical grid and voltage capacity at Xfinity Mobile Arena. SEPTA officials drafted a section about the public transportation Philadelphia could offer visitors, and tourism agencies chipped in with insights on hotels and restaurants.

    David L. Cohen, a longtime Democratic fundraiser and the president of the recently formed nonprofit host committee called Pick Pennsylvania, said that while the mayor led the effort, the bid also emphasized the “unity of the region and the commonwealth.”

    “She wanted it to be really clear this is more than a Philadelphia bid,” he said. “This is a unified Pennsylvania bid.”

    It appears the Democratic National Committee was impressed. On Monday, the DNC announced that it is considering five cities, including Philadelphia, to host the 2028 convention, where a Democratic presidential nominee will be coronated. The party is also looking closely at Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, and Boston to hold the early August event.

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    What comes next is a campaign to lure the convention to Philly, complete with a carefully coordinated public relations effort and a significant fundraising push. Philadelphia’s host committee for 2016, the last time the city held a presidential nominating convention, raised more than $85 million.

    The DNC has asked host cities to raise $5 million before being selected. Philly’s fundraising, Cohen said, “will be substantially higher than that number.”

    In this 2021 file photo, David L. Cohen speaks as Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the city’s World Cup 2026 bid committee, launched an interactive exhibit at the Independence Visitors Center in Philadelphia. He is now heading an effort to bring the Democratic National Convention to Philadelphia.

    Cohen, a former Comcast executive and erstwhile chief of staff to former mayor Ed Rendell, is leading the effort alongside Daniel J. Hilferty, now the CEO of Comcast Spectacor.

    Hilferty and Cohen have worked together repeatedly over the last two decades to bring major events to Philadelphia, including a successful bid to become one of a handful of North American cities to host World Cup games this year.

    Also involved in coordinating the DNC proposal was Erin Wilson, a Philadelphia native who was a top aide to former Vice President Kamala Harris. She was the national political director for former President Joe Biden’s campaign and planned his 2021 inauguration.

    When the DNC comes to town

    DNC officials are expected to make a final decision on the 2028 site later this year. That call will likely be made by chair Ken Martin in consultation with top advisers and the committee’s Technical Advisory Group, which assesses logistics and operational matters.

    Philadelphia could also have an advocate in State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who represents parts of North Philadelphia and is a DNC vice chair. He is known to have a close relationship with Martin.

    Committee officials and the advisory group will tour each of the five finalist cities for a yet-to-be-scheduled site visit this spring.

    If history is any indication, the city will roll out the red carpet. In 2014, when 18 members of the DNC came to Philly to check out the city ahead of the 2016 convention, the host committee spent six figures to charm them.

    The trip included a tour of Philly’s most popular sites, like Reading Terminal Market and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as well as a swanky rooftop party and a breakfast at the Comcast Center. Predictably, cheesesteaks were also involved.

    “The site visits are as much about feel as they are about technical details,” Cohen said. “After site visits, the teams who are making choices leave here and they have their socks knocked off. They can’t believe how vibrant the city is.”

    In this 2014 file photo, Congressman Bob Brady, left, talks with DNC CEO Amy Dacey, center, as they have lunch at Pat’s Steaks in South Philadelphia.

    Ryan Boyer, the head of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council and a close Parker ally, said one of Philadelphia’s best assets might be its mayor. Parker is an unabashed cheerleader for the city and is leading preparations for several major events this year, including World Cup games, the MLB All-Star Game, and the commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.

    “She’s the most effective advocate for bringing people together,” Boyer said, “with just her level of passion, her love of the city, and her love of the job.”

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    Cohen said he spoke to Parker last year about the potential to bid for the convention, and when she asked him to lead the host committee, he said yes because the city has “a serious chance.”

    “As a friend and longtime supporter of hers, if I didn’t think we had a legitimate shot, I would try to talk her out of it,” Cohen said. “If anything, I have poured gasoline on her flames of enthusiasm and said, ‘We should be all in for this.’

    ”I said, ‘Do what you do best,’” he added. “Get everyone excited about this.’”

    Gov. Josh Shapiro could also play a role in wooing the party. He is one of the most well-known Democratic governors in the country, and is seen by many as a contender for the 2028 Democratic nomination for president.

    That means there is a chance that Shapiro, who was raised in Montgomery County and whose family still lives there, could be nominated in what is essentially his hometown.

    Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during the Democratic National Convention Aug. 21, 2024, in Chicago.

    In a letter to Martin, Shapiro wrote that Philadelphia “would see substantial economic benefits” from hosting the convention and vowed that the state would be “prepared to ensure our infrastructure, public safety agencies, workforce, and business community are equipped to host thousands of delegates and attendees.”

    What’s next: a close look at security and logistics

    Behind the pomp of the DNC’s spring site visit will be a serious evaluation of security, transportation, hotels, and arena logistics.

    The DNC said in a statement Monday that it will value “new and innovative approaches” to hosting a large-scale event that is likely to bring thousands of tourists. In 2016, the convention drew more than 5,000 attendees and an additional 29,000 visitors — nearly 20,000 of whom were media members.

    Nominating conventions are typically designated as National Special Security Events, meaning the federal government leads security because the event is deemed at high risk for terrorism or other criminal activity. That means planners need to know specifics about law enforcement staffing, gear, and other capabilities.

    Placards promoting Philadelphia as the host city of the Democratic National Convention in 2016, while the Democratic National Committee was touring the city in August.

    Support will also have to come from outside the city. During past conventions, federal law enforcement teamed up with Philadelphia police to secure the venue, and they were joined by officers from across the region.

    The DNC also said in its announcement Monday that the committee would prioritize “the importance of forging a strong partnership between the DNC and the host city, including its community, political, and business leaders.”

    To that end, the host committee and Parker asked elected officials and civic leaders from across the state to write letters of support that accompanied the city’s bid.

    Authors ranged from City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, whose district includes the South Philadelphia stadium complex, to labor leaders to Democrats from the Philadelphia collar counties.

    Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija, who wrote a letter to the DNC boosting the bid, said it is important for the committee to see that local governments and law enforcement agencies outside the city are willing to offer support, because “pulling something like this off requires a lot of cooperation on many different fronts.”

    “A real concern now when you’re thinking about hosting a political convention is ‘How are we going to manage public safety and a threat environment?’” he said. “There are a number of reasons to point to our region and see a level of collaboration that inspires confidence.”

  • Commerce Secretary Lutnick to appear before House panel investigating Epstein

    Commerce Secretary Lutnick to appear before House panel investigating Epstein

    Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a former Manhattan neighbor of Jeffrey Epstein, has agreed to voluntarily testify before the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into the convicted sex offender, the panel’s chairman announced Tuesday.

    Lutnick has faced growing bipartisan pressure to testify about his ties to Epstein following the Justice Department’s release of a tranche of documents that suggested Lutnick maintained contact with Epstein years after claiming to have distanced himself from him.

    “Secretary Lutnick has proactively agreed to appear voluntarily before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform,” Rep. James Comer (R., Ky.), the committee’s chairman, said in a statement. “I commend his demonstrated commitment to transparency and appreciate his willingness to engage with the Committee. I look forward to his testimony.”

    Lutnick’s connection to Epstein also has caused controversy at Haverford College, where president Wendy Raymond is considering convening a committee that would review whether the mega donor’s name should remain on the campus library.

    Lutnick will soon become the latest participant in a series of high-profile interviews conducted by the committee for its Epstein probe — the most recent of which included former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. They took part in a pair of contentious, closed-door depositions in New York last week.

    The Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Lutnick’s interview.

    “I look forward to appearing before the committee. I have done nothing wrong and I want to set the record straight,” Lutnick said in a statement to Axios, which first reported his planned appearance.

    Testifying before Congress last month, the commerce secretary said he recalled meeting with Epstein three times over the course of 14 years. Lutnick also said he and his family had lunch with Epstein on his Caribbean island in 2012 — after previously claiming that he and his wife had distanced themselves from Epstein around 2005.

    The exchanges made public by the Justice Department show that Lutnick, a former chairman of the financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, and Epstein kept communicating years after Epstein pleaded guilty to two charges of soliciting prostitution, including one involving a minor, and was sentenced to 13 months in jail.

    Their last known exchange in the Justice Department documents came in 2018, when Lutnick reached out to Epstein about the Frick Collection, a museum near their neighboring homes, planning construction.

    “Are you aware as to them building to block our park views,” Lutnick wrote in an email that his assistant forwarded to Epstein, “What should we do about it? Time is of the essence.” Lutnick also urged Epstein to involve a lawyer, to which Epstein replied, “Will do.”

    The following year, Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges and later died in federal custody. His death was ruled a suicide.

    Some lawmakers, including Rep. Robert Garcia of California — the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee — as well as Rep. Thomas Massie (R., Ky.), have called for Lutnick to step down over his connection to Epstein. But President Donald Trump last week signaled he remained confident in Lutnick.

    “Howard would go in and do whatever he has to say,” Trump told reporters on Friday about possible Epstein testimony. “He’s a very innocent guy. He’s doing a good job.”

    The Oversight Committee has already scheduled depositions for Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn, the co-executors of Epstein’s estate, this month. And Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R., Fla.) has said she plans to ask the committee to bring in “some of the [Epstein] co-conspirators that were given lesser sentences that were known to have trafficked young girls.”

    Garcia told the Washington Post that if Democrats retake the House in November and become the majority next year, they will “absolutely” pursue an interview with Trump regarding Epstein. “There’s a long list of subpoenas that we will be engaged in,” Garcia added.